Look, Listen, Learn
by darla101
Summary: This is just a quick three part fic on what happened between Qui-Gon dying and his funeral. It focuses on Anakin and Obi-Wan. Enjoy!


This is just a quick three part fic on what happened between Qui-Gon dying and his funeral. It should only be two, at most three posts, and focuses on Anakin and Obi-Wan. Enjoy!  
  
----  
  
I found out when I heard some of the pilots talking.  
  
They'd come to tell the rest of the Bravo Squadron what'd happened on the ground battle. How they'd taken the Throne Room by storm and Pad - I mean, Queen Amidala had captured the Federations leader, how the Jedi had taken on the sinister warrior and how the one of the Jedi had died. I knew it was Qui-Gon. How? I don't know. But I knew, and it felt like my world had crashed around me, shattered into a million pieces.  
  
That's happened a lot to me this week.  
  
I lost mom, my home and now my chance at making a difference, of living my dream.  
  
I can't help feeling lonely, so lonely it hurts inside. I don't know anybody here, not really. Well, apart from Padme, who's been far too busy preparing for tomorrows celebrations to have time for me, and even if she did, I wouldn't know what to say to her. She's not really Padme now, she's 'Your Highness.'  
  
I feel really bad thinking this, I know it's really selfish and Mom would scold me.if she were here. But looking out, her not being here, it makes the celebration feel empty. Looking out, I see them dragging away the remains of the battle, hanging streamers and smiling, it all seems so wrong. The planet was preparing to celebrate a victory and all I could think about was my loss. The hard part is over for them; For me, its just begun.  
  
"Watching the preparations?"  
  
Obi-Wans' voice came from behind me, and I turned to see the doorway to the room I had been given in Theed Palace ajar, and the younger Jedi standing, seeming almost.nervous?  
  
Obi-Wan was someone I kind of knew. We'd met, but never talked other than through necessity or politeness. I don't think he liked me so much. He's a bit of a mystery, one it looks like I'm not going to be able to solve. It shouldn't matter much; only so much a pre-teen can do. But it would be nice to know someone.  
  
I shrugged, and mumbled a "not really," under my breath. I guess he took that as permission to enter, as he left the door way and sat next to me on the sofa.  
  
"It is.difficult to celebrate without him."  
  
I suppose I never thought about how anyone else felt about this. I knew him a little over a week and I'm blubbering like a baby. How long has Obi-Wan known him, and he's not crying! I can never learn that kind of control; I guess I won't need to now.  
  
"I'm really sorry," I said, trying to sound like I meant it, because I really did.  
  
He just gave me this little smile, "It's not you're fault,"  
  
I didn't miss the conviction in his voice. I'm good at catching out people when they don't believe what they're saying. I think I get it from Mom, cause she could always tell too.  
  
"It's not yours either."  
  
The smile widened, and this time he looked at me, "Perceptive little boy, aren't you?"  
  
I guess I smiled a little too. It was nice to talk to somebody. Being locked - well not exactly locked, but where would I go if I went out? - In with myself for the last day and a half has not been a great experience. I think too much, and thinking too much leads to me crying lots. It was nice to be able to smile a little.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
The air between us seemed to get serious, and something was coming. I can tell. The smile had faded a lot, from both of us; meaning seriousness was about to happen.  
  
"I need to talk to you, Anakin." Wow, is that the first time he's ever called me by name? I think so.  
  
I pulled my knees out from under me, and sat up, giving my best 'concentrating' look.  
  
"What 'bout?"  
  
"You." His smile was threatening to return, what was so funny?  
  
I nodded, "What's going to happen to me?"  
  
"Well," he said, crinkling his brow, "That's really up to you."  
  
Okay, now I'm confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean," He stopped for a moment, and sighed. "That after you're little display with the pilots up there," I blushed a little at that, after all, I hadn't meant to do anything. "You can enter the order, or not, if that's no longer what you want."  
  
"It is!"  
  
He nodded, "Then you still have two choices. Come back to the temple as an initiate, a part of the groups of children your age, like a boarding school I suppose."  
  
That was essentially what I wanted to do, wasn't it? What other choice could I have? "There's an or?"  
  
"There is," he nodded, affirmative.  
  
"Or I could train you,"  
  
"You?" I replied. I guess I was just so shocked. He's not even supposed to like me. Why would he want to?  
  
He smiled, a genuine one, too. "Because I think.I think he'd want us to stay together. But there are so many other people so much more qualified than me and I know we don't know each other much -"  
  
"I don't want anyone else." It just came out, but it was true, I could feel that much. I didn't want to be holed up with a complete stranger or strangers. It felt right.  
  
"I should at least warn you, I'm not the easiest person to live with. And I don't have much experience with children of your age."  
  
I could feel it was my turn to smile now. "I've never been the average nine- year-old, so that should work."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"Plus I'm ten really soon!"  
  
We were both smiling now, "And that makes all the difference!"  
  
The smile became giggles, and for at least a minute, no one said anything. "I'm asking for you. Do you accept?"  
  
"I do."  
  
-----  
  
Next Part To Come Soon. 


End file.
